Sports Roundup: La Cañada girls’ volleyball upsets sixth seed in second round

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

La Cañada 3, Rio Mesa 2: For the first time in five seasons, the La Cañada High girls’ volleyball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

It was hardly easy, as the Spartans rallied for a 23-25, 25-11, 22-25, 25-15, 15-12 victory on the road to upset No. 6-ranked Oxnard Rio Mesa on Thursday evening.

The victory vaults Rio Hondo League champion La Cañada (22-6) into Saturday’s quarterfinal at home at 4 p.m. against visiting third-seeded Ocean League runner-up Santa Monica (16-6).

“It was a really competitive match, back and forth against a really scrappy team,” La Cañada coach Chris Sullivan said. “We traded sets and we pulled it out. We continued to grind and not give up and we kept on fighting.”

The Spartans received quite a few big efforts in the winning cause versus Rio Mesa (20-12).

Senior outside hitter Chloe Kerstein tallied 21 kills, 27 digs and two aces, while sophomore Emily Weirick added 11 kills and 16 digs and sophomore Claire Kevorkian chipped in nine kills.

Senior setter Hailey Belcher contributed 42 assists, 19 digs and two aces, while senior libero Elizabeth Gannon totaled 30 digs and middle blocker Kimberly Callister added four blocks.